England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Cropthorne St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Cropthorne lies in southeastern Worcestershire forming s short stretch of the county's convoluted border with neighbouring Gloucestershire. Cropthorne is located roughly 3 miles west of the town of Evesham and stands on and mostly north of the B4084 road which links Evesham with Pershore. Cropthorne is a linear settlement standing on the outer banks of a meander of the River Avon, whilst it has a small presence on the B4084 the majority of properties lie either side of a lane, Main Street, which parallels the course of the river, gently curving around to the Jubilee Bridge which crosses it. In addition to the main village there are subsidiary settlements, the chapelry of Netherton, a small hamlet 2 miles to the south, was licensed for marriage and will get its own page within this project, to the northeast also lies Charlton, another mid-sized village, also linear in form. The local economy would have been farming bases, the rich pastures of the Avon's flood-plain supporting mainly cattle whilst the area is also noted for its orchards, several of which remain to this day. Modern developments have come to the parish, the railway line from Evesham to Worcester skirts the northern edges of the parish. Cropthorne is drained westwards by the Avon which heads to Tewkesbury to meet the Severn, here water turns south passing through Gloucester to reach the sea through the Bristol Channel. Cropthorne is sited at between 20 and 40 metres above the sea in gentle terrain, land rises only gently southwards until meeting the isolated knoll of Bredon Hill which dominates southern views and reaches 294 metres at its highest point. Exclusive of Netherton chapelry Cropthorne parish covered close to 3,000 acres which would have supported a population of close to 600 parishioners. In Domesday times Cropthorne was held by Worcester Cathedral and offered 17 ploughs, typical meadows & woodland as well as a mill and an eel fishery making for a wealthy holding.

The Church

St Michael's church sits at the northern end of the village where the Main Street splits into two, one heading for Charlton, the other to Jubilee Bridge. This church retains fabric from the earliest times of stone-built churches with the nave possibly even pre-dating the Conquest. Saxon long-and-short quoins are found at the level of the clerestory indicating a possible 11th century origin for the nave. Of more certain dating are the 4-bay nave arcades which are 12th century Norman Romanesque complete with round piers and square abaci. The 12th century is also the date for the chancel arch and the unbuttressed western tower, the tower is more heavily modified in late medieval and more modern times, however. The late 14th century Perpendicular period saw the tower given its battlemented top and the clerestory inserted. There are numerous phases of restoration beginning in the 16th century when the formerly 2-storey porch was built and followed in the 18th when the clerestory on the northern wall was renewed, the main work on the church was during the Victorian restoration of 1894 when the chancel was rebuilt using the material from its original 13th century construction, in 1968 the porch was also rebuilt for a second time. There is on-street parking to be found in Blacksmith Lane opposite the site, entrance is at the southern end through a wooden gate below shading trees, a few more stand close to the eastern end but do not unduly restrict the angles available for the photographer.